Cylinder head holder



July 19, 1966 s. E. HOLMEN CYLINDER HEAD HOLDER Filed June 20, 196:5

INVENTOR.

SIDNEY E. HOLMEN BYO-E W W W ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,261,599 CYLINDER HEAD HOLDER Sidney E. Holmen, 2203 S. 6th St., Moorhead, Minn. Filed June 20, 1963, Ser. No. 289,240 2 Claims. (Cl. 269-47) This invention relates to a new and novel tool usable for supportingly holding a cylinder head in position to do work thereon. More particularly, this invention relates to a new and novel tool that may be used singly or in pairs for supportingly holding the cylinder head in alternate positions to conveniently work thereon.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a new and novel tool for supportingly holding a cylinder head on its side in a position that a mechanic may readily work thereon. Another object of this invention is to provide a new and novel tool that may be used in pairs for supporting a cylinder head in an upside-down position for working on the valve seats and valve guides. A further object of this invention is to provide a cylinder head tool of a relatively simple construction, easy to manufacture, and that may be used singly or in pairs for supportingly holding a cylinder head in position to conveniently perform Work thereon.

Other and further objects are those inherent in the invention herein illustrated, described and claimed, and will be apparent as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, this invention then comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments ofthe invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

The invention is illustrated with reference to the drawings in which the same reference numerals refer to the same parts and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of the cylinder head holder of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view illustrating a pair of cylinder head holders of this invention supportingly holding a cylinder head in an upside-down position;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view illustrating a cylinder head holder of this invention supportingly holding a cylinder head on its side in position to have work performed thereon;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view illustrating a flange portion of the cylinder head and a tapered portion of the cylinder head holder, said view being generally taken along the line and in the direct-ion of the arrows 44 of FIGURE 3 to show the manner of positioning the cylinder head holder for supportingly holding the cylinder head on its side; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view generally taken along the line and in the direct-ion of the arrows 55 of FIGURE 4 to illustrate a cylinder head holder in the cylinder head bolt aperture.

Referring in particular to FIGURE 1, there is illustrated a cylinder head holder, generally designated 10, of this invention. The 'cylinder head holder has a base 11, which preferably is a U-shaped rod having a web portion 11a, a leg 11b integrally joined to one end of the web portion, and a second leg 11c integrally joined to the opposite end of the web portion. As may be noted in FIGURE 1, the legs 11!; and 110 are substantially the same length, while each of the legs are of a substantially shorter length than the web portion 11a. Welded to the web portion to extend therefrom in a direction of 180 relative to the extension of the legs is an elongated, continuously tapered rod 12. The maximum diameter end "ice of the rod is welded to the web at a location that is substantially closer to the leg 110 than the leg 11b. Preferably, the tapered rod is welded to the web at a position about one-quarter of the distance from leg 110 to the leg 11b. Also, it is preferred that the tapered rod be threaded as indicated by threads 12a.

Further, the tool is constructed such that the axis of elongation of members 11a, 11b, 11c and 12 are in approximately the same plane and that dimensions of said members other than for the decreasing taper of the rod that are perpendicular to said plane are approximately the same. Accordingly, the tool may readily be used in either the manner illustrated in FIGURE 2 or that illustrated in FIGURE 3.

The cylinder head holder of this invention is to be utilized with a cylinder head, the cylinder head being generally designated 15 in the drawings. For purposes of facilitating the description of the use of the cylinder head of this invention, the cylinder head 15 will be referred to as having a top 16 having the valve spring mechanism 16a extending outwardly therefrom, a bottom 17 having the piston combustion chambers 17a opening therethrough, a side 18, an opposite side 19 and ends 28. On side 19 of the eylirider head, there is a flange portion 20 that extends outwardly from the main body of the cylinder head, the flange portion being provided with a plurality of cylinder head bolt apertures 21 that extend in a vertical direction when the cylinder head is positioned as illustrated in FIGURE 2. The cylinder head also has a second set of bolt apertures, designated 22, located centrally of sides 18 and 19, there being an aperture 22 located adjacent either end wall 28.

The particular cylinder head illustrated has a center of mass located more closely adjacent the side 18 than side 19. In using the cylinder head holder to support a cylinder head on its side, first the cylinder head is turned so that the side edge 23 of the flange 20 rests on the supporting surface 24 and then the tapered rod is extended into a centrally located cylinder bolt aperture 21 from the top of the bolt aperture until the tapered rod can be no further inserted into the bolt aperture. Due to the threads 12a, the rod is more firmly attached to the cylinder head. When the cylinder head is on its side as illustrated in FIGURE 3, the center of mass is located more closely adjacent the top 16 than the bottom 17, and accordingly, the cylinder head will tend to rotate in a direction of arrow 25 about the flange edge 23. However, since the legs 11b and 11c bear against the supporting surface 24, the head can rotate only until the axis of the bolt aperture extends parallel to the line of taper of the rod. Since the angle of taper is relatively small, the cylinder head will only rotate a few degrees from having the bottom surface 17 extending perpendicular to the supporting surface 24. When the cylinder head holder is in the position illustrated in FIGURES 3-5, the valves, keepers and springs may be readily removed from the cylinder head.

In the event it is desired to work on the valve seat and valve guides, then the cylinder head is placed with the bottom surface 17 on the supporting surface, for example that of a table, and then the tapered rod of one tool is inserted into bolt aperture 22 at one end of the cylinder head, and the tapered portion of a second cylinder head holder is inserted into bolt aperture 22 at the opposite end of the cylinder head. Due to the rods 12 being threaded, they are more firmly held in position in the cylinder head. The cylinder head holders are positioned in the apertures 22 and 22 respectively such that the webs 11a extend generally parallel to one another and the legs 11!) extend horizontally outwardly of the side 18.

v The reasoning for positioning the cylinder head holders in this manner is that the cylinder center of mass is located more closely adjacent side 18 than side 19. It is to be noted from FIGURE 2 that the minimum diameter of the rod (including threads) is less than the diam eter of the apertures 22, while the maximum diameter of the rod is greater than the diameter of an aperture 22. As a result, the rods will only partially extend into apertures 22 whereby the top 16 of the head in an upsidedown condition is held a substantial distance above webs 11a. Also, since the cylinder bolt apertures extend generally perpendicular to the plane of the bottom 17, the general plane of bottom 17 is horizontal and parallel to the supporting surface when positioned as shown in FIGURE 2, even though the general plane of the top is inclined relative to the bottom surface. Accordingly, the cylinder head is held in position to facilitate working on the valve seats and at the same time the valve spring mechanism is located out of contact with the supporting surface.

After the cylinder head holders have been inserted into apertures 22 and 22, as described in the preceding paragraph, then the cylinder head is turned over so that the outer ends of the legs 11b and 110 rest one the table 24. Since there is a slight turning movement'in a direction of arrow 30 (due to the center of mass), and the legs 11b are located a substantial distance horizontally outwardly of the side 18, there is no danger of the cylinder head over-balancing while it is being worked on.

If the center of mass is located more closely adjacent side wall 19 than 18, then the cylinder head holders as illustrated in FIGURE 2 would be turned 180 about the central axes of the apertures 22 to prevent the cylinder head from overbalancing. Also, in the event that the axis of movement of the valves is inclined relative to the central axes of apertures 22, then the appropriate legs may be blocked up to have the axis of movement of the valves extend at right angles to surface 24.

To further illustrate the tool of this invention, but not as a limitation thereon, the following dimensions are given. In one embodiment of the tool, the legs 11b and 110 are each three inches in length and the web 110 is eight inches in length. The tapered rod 12 is five and three-quarters inches long, has a maximum diameter of five-eights of an inch, and a minimum diameter of fivesixteenths of an inch at the end opposite web 11a. If the tool were provided for a larger cylinder head, then of course the maximum and minimum diameter portions would be larger, for example three-quarters of an inch and seven-sixteenths of an inch respectively. For the specific dimensions given above (5%", 7 and A"), the angle will be approximately three and one-half degrees.

As many widely apparently different embodiments of this invention may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the specific embodiments herein.

What I claim is:

1. A cylinder head holder adapted to mount a cylinder head of the type having a plurality of bolt apertures adjacent one side thereof and at opposite ends, said cylinder head holder having a base and an elongated rod extending outwardly from said base and being crosssectional in size and shape to be at least partially extendable into one of said cylinder head apertures, said rod being threaded and tapered to be of a decreasing cross-sectional dimension in a direction away from said base, the maximum cross-sectional dimension of said elongated rod being greater than the corresponding dimension of the cylinder head aperture into which it is to be extended and the minimum cross-sectional dimension being less than that of the cylinder head aperture.

2. A cylinder head holder adapted to suspendingly support a cylinder head above a work surface, said holder comprising a U-shaped base member having legs extending in a generally downward direction so as to be adapted to supportingly engage said work surface, a

substantially horizontally extending Web portion joining said legs of said base member, and an elongated upstanding rod secured to said Web portion to extend at generally right angles thereto, said rod being threaded and crosssectional in size and shape to be at least partially extendable into the bolt apertures conventionally provided on said cylinder head, said rod being tapered to be of a decreasing cross-sectional dimension in a direction away from said base, the maximum cross-sectional dimension of said elongated rod being greater than the corresponding dimension of the cylinder head aperture into which it is to be extended and the minimum cross-sectional dimension being less than that of the cylinder head aperture.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,016,914 2/1912 Christian 26951 2,212,421 8/ 1940 Henderson 269305 2,568,508 9/1951 Montague 26951 2,655,191 10/1953 Partin 26954 3,048,387 8/ 1962 Waggoner 26951 ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner.

LESTER M. SWINGLE, Examiner.

F. I. POWERS, B. S. MOWRY, Assistant Examiners. 

1. A CYLINDER HEAD HOLDER ADAPTED TO MOUNT A CYLINDER HEAD OF THE TYPE HAVING A PLURALITY OF BOLT APERTURES ADJACENT ONE SIDE THEREOF AND AT OPPOSITE ENDS, SAID CYLINDER HEAD HOLDER HAVING A BASE AND AN ELONGATED ROD EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID BASE AND BEING CROSSSECTIONAL IN SIZE AND SHAPE TO BE AT LEAST PARTIALLY EXTENDABLE INTO ONE OF SAID CYLINDER HEAD APERTURES, SAID ROD BEING THREADED AND TAPERED TO BE OF A DECREASING CROSS-SECTIONAL DIMENSION IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID BASE, THE MAXIMUM CROSS-SECTIONAL DIMENSION OF SAID ELONGATED ROD BEING GREATER THAN THE CORRESPONDING DIMENSION OF THE CYLINDER HEAD APERTURE INTO WHICH IT IS TO BE EXTENDED AND THE MINIMUM CROSS-SECTIONAL DIMENSION BEING LESS THAN THAT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD APERTURE. 